Indurated casein compound.



30 stroyed.

UNITED STATES "PATENT orFIcE.

- BYRO1\l'.B. GOLDSMITH, 01'! NEW YORK, N. Y.

' mnunarnn casnm coilrourm To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, BYRON B. GoL'DsMrrH,

a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, ounty, and 5 State of New York, have invented a certain new and'useful Improvement in Indurated Casein Compounds, of which the following is a specification.

. In my U. ,S. V Patent Number 840,931, I 1 dated Jan. 8th 1907, I have described a proca convenient and cheap substitut ade it ves's whereby a thermoplastic comgrid may loid, rubber and th'elike; and I clear in said-patent thatthe term thermoplastic was meant to describe those masses which, while relatively hard at ordinary temperatures, are rendered softer by heat, so as to permit the uniting of separate masses and themolding of any mass .to any desired sh'ape.

' My present invention is based upon the discovery that, by uniting thev actionof conzerting agents with that of. an indurating 5 agent, such as formaldehyde, or its equivaients, upon casein,"its 'derivativesor com-- pounds, an improved result is obtained, and the respective. actions of the indurating agent and converting agent are not de- My novel invention is based upon the discovery'thatcasein whichhas been modified by the action of formaldehyde or its equivalents is capable 'of :being rendered thermoplastic by combination with a converting agent; and furthermore the thermoplastic compound so "produced has certain advantages over. that produced'in accordance 4b withmy aforesaid ,U.' S. Letters Patent.

1 The convertingagent inmy process is that chemical substance which, whenrcombined or admixed with the c'aseln, acts whenever heated, to softengthe same, l'b'ut whose sof- .tening, action is suspndedor materially di- 1 minished upon lowering the temperature of the'mass' Some of thesegc'onverting agents I are alpha-naphthol, beta-naphthohbenzoic acid, carbolic acid, hydrocliinone, ,lzresohpy- 'rocatechin, resor'cin, salicylic acid, urea, benzoic acid, phthalie acid, .phloroglucin, pyrogallol, -paratoluidin, "naphthylamin,

benzidin, oxy naphthoic acid, 'anilin, toluidin andxylidin. Although-these substances and their derivatives and compounds are Specification of Iietters gatent.

No Drawing. 5 Original application'filed January 2,1909, Serial No. 470,392. .Div

v filed April 27, 1910. Serial No. 558,03

- great advantage.

' covers such known to me' to give good results forth e iatented May 21, 1912. ided and this application purposes above set forth, it is to be under-.

stood that I do not limit myself to these substances and their derivatives and compounds, but that the term converting. agent as used herein refers to any compound; or substance having the eflfedt described.

One characteristic of a preferred con-- verting agent is its capacity 0 remain-in the'mass and not be volatilized to a material extent when moderate heat is applied. I havediscovered that the best results are obtained by-the use of solid reagents such as alpha or beta naphthol and I have claimed this variant of my process and product spe cifically herein. Where flexibility is desired in the product, however, I have discovered that a liquid converting-agent or other liquid not antagonistic to the mixture may be combined with a solid converting agent to Casein forms numerous cd mpounds and derivatives, and it is to be understood that,

where casein is claimed herein, this term compounds and derivatives as well.

,The degree of hardness of the thermoplastic compound in the cold state will vary' with the particular converting agent or agents employed and with the .prbportions .used'. Thus a great variety of characteristics are obtained by suitable variations in proportions and qualities:

In the manufacture of my composition the modified casein may beunitedwith asuitable converting agent on and between suitably heated rolls, or any other method of uniting these substances may be resorted to by which they are brought into intimate contact; Instead of using "the converting agents in their natural state they may be first dissolved in alcohol, water or other suitable liquid which is afterward driven off by heat.

The term -indurating agent as used herein applies tothose agents, like formaldehyde,- which give to the compound greater toughness and permanency, increasing its re-' sistance to-the action of water. I I have'also. found that where the casein is treated w1th an induratin'g agent, and. afterward combined with a converting agent to produce a.

thermoplastic-compound thetendency of the mass to stick to theme d is much lessened, and thus abetter impr on is produced m stances or fillers can also be inco and a composition made in accordance with my present invention, can be made as plastic as desired without danger of spotting through the cause above described.

In carrying out my invention a variety of reagents in various proportions may be employed. The following specific process -may be taken as a typical example. The

casein, preferably in the form of a moist curd is treated with formaldehyde or its equivalent in any desired manner, as by sprinkling and thoroughly mixing with an aqueous solution of formaldehyde. The amount and strength of the indurating'agent and the length of time it is allowed to act upon the casein should be regulated according to the nature'of the compound desired.

Take four pounds of casein which has beentreated as aforesaid and sprinkle'the same with about a pound and a half of beta-- naphthol dissolved in alcohol. This is then well mixed, preferably on suitably heated rolls, and when the mixture is completed, the mass is removedand is 'soft while hot but hardens on cooling. In this manner sheets of thermoplastic material are produced which are quite plastic while hot, but harden on cooling. Scraps of various'substances may be mixed in with the masses thus fprmed in considerable quantities. Among these are celluloid scraps, finelydivided albuminoids hits of horn, rubber, resins,

and coloring matter. Compounding suborated without departin from this inventiom I ve found t at, in order to obtain the best results a non-hygroscopic converting agent should be used, and I have made a specificclaim herein for converting agents of this character.

It is to be understood that my process may be carried out with a greater or less degree of induration, and in some cases it is'not ad visable to carry this process very far. The

indurating agent may obviously'be first employed in manufacture of the material before compression and a second time upon the compressed-mass or on the finished article.

This application is a division of my pend-- ing application for improvement in lndurated casein compound ,-Serial Noi470,392, filed Jan. 2nd 1909, which is itself a division of my earlier application for indurated thermoplastic compound, Serial No. 396189,

filed Oct. 7th 1907.

What I claim.is

1. The process of producing a thermoplastic compound which consists in firstcausing an indurat-ing agent to, act upon casein, then mixing a converting agent therewith, and. heating and pressing the mass, substantially as described.

2. The process of, producinga thermoplastic compound .whlch consists in first mixing an indurating agent with casein, mixinga converting agent with the'mass so produced, and heating and pressing the same, substantially as described.

3: The process of producing a thermoplas tic compound which consists in first treating casein with formaldehyde, mixingthe mass so produced with a converting agent, and heating and pressing the same, substantially as described.

4. The process of producing athermoplastic compoundwhich consists in first mixing a formaldehyde solution with casein, mixing the mass so produced with a converting agent, and heating and ressing the same, substantially as described? 5. The process of producin athermoplastic compound which consists 1n first treating casein with an indurating agent, mixing the mass so produced with betanaphthol or its equivalent, and heating. and pressing the same, substantially as described.

6. The process of producing a thermoplassamefsubstantially as described.

7. The process of producing a thermoplastic compound which consists in mixing an indurating agent with casein," mixing the mass so produced with a normally solid converting agent, and heating and pressing the same, substantlally as described.

'100 tic compound which consists in first treat- 8. The process of producing a. thermoplas- 1 tic compound which consists in mixing an induratmg agent with casein, mixing the mass so produced with-a norma'llysolid and substantlally non-volatile and heating and ressing the same, substantially as described.

9'. The process of producing a thermoplastic compound which consists incausing an induratmg agent to "act upon casein and then mixing a converting agent with the resultant product, substantially as described.

10. A composition of matter composed of more or lessifidurated casein mixed with a converting agent, substantially as described. 11.'A composition of matter composed of more-or less indurated casein mixed with a normally solid converting agent, substantially as described.

nverting agent,

V tile converting agent, substantially. as de- 12. A composition ofmattei' composed of beta-naphthol or its equivalent; substanmore'or less indurated casein mixed with a tialiy as described. 3 i

.normally solid and substantially non-vola- BYRON B G L H 5 scribed. Witnesses: p

13. A composition of mattercomposed H. S. -MAcKAYE, of more or less indurated casein mixed with' M. A. BUTLER. 

